1.3 million Pinoys receive second SAP tranche

MANILA, Philippines — The number of households that have received P5,000 in cash assistance under the second tranche of the government’s social amelioration program (SAP) remained at more than 1.3 million, Malacañang said yesterday.

Data released by presidential spokesman Harry Roque showed that as of June 28, there were 1.35 million people who received the second tranche of the cash subsidy.

The figure hardly changed compared to the numbers that Roque presented on June 18.

Officials earlier said the government intended to finish the distribution of the subsidy last week.

The second SAP tranche is given only to qualified residents in areas that were placed under general community quarantine.

Roque did not elaborate why there was no significant change in the number of beneficiaries served.

During a previous press briefing, Roque said that duplication of beneficiaries’ names delayed the distribution of the assistance.

He said the distribution would become faster once the validation process is completed.

Of the P100-billion budget allocated for the second SAP tranche, P6.79 billion have been disbursed, according to data released by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The distribution of the second SAP tranche is implemented through electronic cash transfers and direct payouts by soldiers.

The government has allocated about P205 billion for the SAP, which aims to assist low-income households and workers whose livelihood were disrupted by quarantine restrictions imposed by the government to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19.

More than 17.4 million beneficiaries received aid during the first tranche of the program.